The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1887-02-12
Death of Mrs. Mary A. shealey-End of

Death Of Mrs. Mary A. Shealey-End of
Long and Busy Life.-Mrs. Mary A. Shea
ley, one of the oldest residents of Towsontown,
who fell on the steps of her residence three weeks
ago, sustaining injuries which produced concus-
sion of the brain, died on Saturday evening last,
in the 74th year of her age. Shealey is a name
that has been associated with Towsontown from its
earliest history, and the active business life of the
subject of this sketch made her prominent figure
in the social and mercantile interests of this place.
woman of extraordinary will-power, energy
and business tact, she gained place through her
own unaided efforts that entities her to rank among
the few people who, under adverse and the most
trying circumstances, make a lasting and honor
able reputation for themselves and 60 down to the
grave with that sacred injunction, swell done thou
good and faithful servants enter thou into the joy
of thy Lord"
Mary Ann Shealey was the daughter of William
Schmuck and was born in Baltimore city. Her
grandfather, Solomon Schmuck, at one time owned
nearly all the land upon which Towsontown is
built. Early in life she here to live with her
fathers uncle, George Shealey, who for many
years kept the well-known hosiery which stood
upon the site of the deceased's late residence She
married William Shealey, one of the sons of her
great uncle, and after the death of the latter her
husband purchased at auction all the property
(embracing about ten acres of land) owned by his
father in Towsontown, paying something like
~
commenced keeping store in the old tavern house,
starting on very small scale with capital of
only SIS By indomitable energy and close atten-
ton to business she able to gradually increase
her stock and in comparatively few years she
had store that rivaed any in the county and did
a business of many thousands of dollars year.
In later years, however, reverses came. In 1876
her fine store building, with the entire stock,
destroyed by fire. She rebuilt upon the same site
and again in 1878 the fruits of her labors met the
same fate, when an entire block of buildings was
burned. Nothing daunted by these misfortunes
she again determined to build, this time upon the
lot owned by her at the junction of the York and
Dulany's Valley turnpikes, where the fine brick
building stands oday, monument to her energy
and perseverance under the most trying circum-
stances. On account of declining years and the
financial reverses incident to her extraordinary
experiences, she finally gave up this store and en-
gagged in business on q small scale in the commo-
diOus brick dwelling, which now stands upon the
ground where stood the old hip-r rooted frame house
in which she first entered mercantile life. This
last venture proved unsuccessful, and, broken in
spirit, and financially wrecked, she gave up the
battle she had fought successfully for so many
years and retired to private life, having had an
experience in the ups and downs of life that falls
to the lot of but few people, but which she bore
with resignation and true christian spirit.
When young girl Mrs. Shealey became mem
Der of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which
she remained jealous and faithful worker, giving
largely of her means, when she was in good cir
cumstances, to all charitable and religious works.
She was one of the most prominent members of
the church here, and when it was proposed to build
the large brick church, which stands on Perrigo's
hill, she made the congregation a present of the
fine lot upon which it stands. During the war of
the rebellion she was an earnest advocate and
worker for the cause of the Union, and was presi-
organization which did vast amount of good in
caring for the sick and wounded soldiers who filled
the temporary hospitals about Baltimore. In fact
she was foremost in all good works, giving liber-
ally of her time and means for the relief of suffer-
ing and distress wherever she found it.
Mrs. Shealey was the mother of nine children,
all sons, five of whom survive her. Her husband
died less than year ago.
The funeral took place Monday afternoon in
the M. E. Church here, Rev. Watson Case, pastor,
conducting the services, assisted by Rev. j. B.
Stitt, of Baltimore. The large audience chamber
of the church was filled with the relatives and
friends who gathered to pay the last sad tribute
to one who had for so many years gone in and
out among them and whose absence in the church
will be greatly missed. The pal-bearers were
Col Charles H. Mann, William H. Ruby, Samuel
Pinkerton, J. Maurice Watkins, A. Loose and S.
E. Parks. Interment was made in the family
burying- ground on the east side of the town, be-
side the remains of her late husband. Among the
floral tributes was sheaf of wheat from the men,
bers of the Mite Society of the church, of which
Mrs. Shealey was the president for many years.